New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-18
CHANCES AT MEN AND THINGS.
BITS OF OPINION AND PERSONAL DEsCRIP-
TON

One of the most respected dry-goods merchants Of
New-York is Colonel william L. Strong. of worth-st
The Colonel had just come down from Saratoga the
other day and fell talking about phases of the dry
goods business He said that in its general aspect the
trade prosperous could be desired antic-
paed except IN the single direction OF worscd goods.
This is branch OF American industry in which ruling
Dy the Secretary OF the Treasury has virtually destroyed
an American production Ten years ago there
were fine worsteds manufactured in this country.
Three years ago the product amounted TO nearly
S20000000 Last under the ruingof tho Secretary
this product decreased ope-haL Mr.. Strong
said that mill which had been yielding an annual
profit OF $4,000 $4,000 year woud scarcely yield
dollar dividend this year The injury is likely to ex-
tend into the future WELL for he said that importers
taking orders for these goods at 81 so to 81 70
which cannot he made IN this country for less than
81 90 The difficulty from the fact that when tle
present tariff law passed, rstclass wool WAS
used for the manufacture of worsted goods. and tee
tariff wool imported for the manufacture OF worstefs
put at low rate. A: the present time frstcass
woods used largely for the manufacture OF worsteis
and under the ruling the Secretary OF the Treasury
still brought in at the low tariff thus breaking do
The victories by the United states troops I'm Mex
ico years ago have generally been ascribcd TO the
superior fighting qualities OF the Americans over the
Mexcans But Captain Lester s. Bartlett OF the Spsn-
Ger Rife Company, who recently In Mexico, men
toned this theory: An old Mexican soldier told me
that il the American sharpshootcrs that broke up
their troops All Mexico you find what are called
arroyas They are what would call gulches and oc
cur everywhere in the plains They have PERCEPTIONS
banks and sometimes walk into them without sec
ing them. They TO be the riffs at the bottom OF a
which one day may have covered the country. The
American raenen would drop into these arroyas, which
formed natural rife pits for them, and having superior
rifles for those DAYS able to pick on tho Me1cans
before the latter got within shooting distance with their
bell-mo1th guns The slaughter that resulted always
broke up the Mexicans before they got within lighting
distance"
quaint New-York character is John Fitch. who is
generally known among the frcqueners OF uptown
resorts ago he Register in Bankruptcy AMI
acquired competency with which he lives comfortably
at the siurtevant House He has height above six
feet aud he wanicrs around at night In an oldash-
Toned suit with swallowta coat, white waistcolt and
white hat. is marked figure wherever he goes. His
tongue caustic with criticism upon the men and tho
times is full OF the idea that the world - going to
the dennition bow-wows" and that nothing can
stopit He declared the other night that within fifty
years the Republican form Of government will have d.
appeared this country In his younger days Judge
Fitch took great interest politics He counted up the
other night his record delegate at State conven
tons and found that lac had attended three Wing con
yen;iOhs aud tftcen Republican.